The Air Mission-Led Innovation (AMLI) business within QinetiQ's UK Defence sector operates and delivers leading-edge facilities (both air- and ground-based) at MOD’s Boscombe Down, exploiting developed technologies for our customers across some of the most challenging areas in Defence. The AMLI team delivers capabilities and expertise in the areas of crewed and uncrewed aircraft and platforms, as well as facilities such as anechoic chambers, hypobaric chambers, night vision test facilities, and environmental test facilities. In addition, AMLI trains test professionals at ETPS, the world’s first test pilot school.
We are proud of our partnerships, spanning government agencies in the UK and internationally, the global Defence industry, and we are expanding the AMLI Business Development team to ensure we have the depth of leadership across all of our technology areas. This role will suit those with Business Development (BD) experience in Air R&D and technology exploitation, or someone considering a move into BD from an operational career background (particularly those about to leave the military) or those with a special mission aviation background.
Role Purpose
1. This Senior BD Manager role will have responsibility for developing and winning new business within the AMLI business in the QinetiQ UK Defence Sector.
2. Work with business and technical leads to drive growth in the ISP (Integrated Strategic-to-Perform) plan to support the UK Defence Sector growth objectives.
3. Develop a clear understanding of our customer’s desired outcomes, and use these to develop and lead the implementation of winning capture strategies.
4. Uphold the values of teamwork and integrity to collaborate and drive continual improvement in business winning and the wider team.
5. Apply BD and sales tools and techniques to provide BD direction and guidance in our business winning activities.
6. Help lead development of existing and new crewed and uncrewed capability, supporting investment business cases to increase our reach in our existing and new markets and opportunities.
Key Accountabilities
7. Engagement: Network with our customers, our industry partners and our international Commercial Intermediaries to foster and maintain relationships that will assure the delivery of the sales orders target and future growth as declared in the business plan.
8. Effectiveness: Work collaboratively across the organisation to define and lead Growth Objective-led BD strategies.
9. Growth: Develop credible pipeline and secure in-year order intake commitments, whilst building the platform for future growth and the delivery of longer-term ISP order intake commitments.
10. Capture and Bid Management: Shape opportunities and provide leadership during early qualification phases, leading and/or supporting the QinetiQ Business Winning process as appropriate through to contract award.
11. Business Acuity: Ensure opportunities and our solutions are developed to maximise our customer’s outcomes while optimising our competitive and market positions, and that our Intellectual Property is suitably protected and/or utilised.
12. Operations: Maintain opportunities in SAP C4C to accurately forecast orders (in-year and in ISP).
13. Compliance: Ensure all business winning activities are conducted in full compliance to Group business winning policies and procedures. Ensure that Group policies relating to Ethical Trading Policy, Exports and the appointment and use of third party Commercial Intermediaries are fully complied with.
Key Capabilities/Knowledge
14. Track Record:
15. A proven record of leading the generation of new and follow-on business to build a credible pipeline with high conversion rate, or
16. Demonstrated record of responsibility in technical delivery, with successful customer engagement to define, deliver and develop future business.
17. Domain Relevance: Relevant experience of winning business with customers and industrial partners in defence-related equipment, and capability employment, and in the application and exploitation of emerging technologies, either commercially or in defence. Background experience in air operations, systems integration and training would be of value.
18. Broad Thinking: Thinks broadly and creatively about our industry and our customer landscape, considering wider factors and identifying longer-term opportunities that offer benefit and fit our research and development capabilities.
19. Relationship Building: Actively seeks to build and maintains trusting relationships with a wide network of relevant people in the industry, our customers, and within QinetiQ, leveraging these relationships appropriately.
20. Customer Focus: Ensures they listen and understand the customer’s perspective and needs - both professionally and personally. Be able to challenge our customers’ plans and thinking in a positive way, offering invention and innovation to deliver outcomes and value to them that differentiates QinetiQ.
21. Communication: Highly skilled at managing relationships and conflicting priorities. Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
22. Commerciality: Evaluates issues and situations in terms of what will optimise growth and profitability for QinetiQ over the medium and long-term, taking into account the wider commercial landscape.
23. Personal Impact: Adapts their approach to communicate clearly, credibly and positively when engaging different stakeholders, focusing on understanding and earning trust.
24. Resilience: Maintains a positive and ‘can do’ approach in difficult situations and over a long period; delivers difficult messages constructively when required.
Experience & Qualifications
25. At least 4 years’ demonstrated success in Defence industry BD, with some international business development and sales experience; or
26. At least 2 years’ demonstrated experience as a complex programme technical lead with customer relationship responsibilities in aviation technology development, engineering or research, and the associated depth of experience in technical project and programme management.
27. Established professional network within other relevant commercial organisations that operate within aviation and/or Defence, with a strong reputation built upon trust and mutual respect.
28. Already hold, or have the ability to obtain, a minimum of an SC security clearance.